Kali LP-6 Review: Studio Monitor

[mga2009]

The "Against a wall" setting will take out a lot of the wall, and you might get good results with the -2dB bass trim on top of that.

Personally, I would highly recommend getting a miniDSP for this application, and doing the room correction there.

Thanks for your reply! I will consider the miniDSP

 

[ziddy76]

These have been great speakers for desktop setup. I immediately wanted these because of the front porting, which I think is ideal for a desk setup, since I can't have my desk in the middle of the room.

Nice to see that it performed well on the review, even if it didn't, not returning them.

 

[thewas]

Please keep in mind though that a rear port position is no problem unless you place them closer than approximately 5cm to a wall.

 

[dorirod]

Please keep in mind though that a rear port position is no problem unless you place them closer than approximately 5cm to a wall.

Some people actually like to use bookshelf speakers on a bookshelf (which is usually against a wall)

 

[thewas]

Some people actually like to use bookshelf speakers on a bookshelf (which is usually against a wall)

But only if the shelf has the same depth as the loudspeaker, which is not always the case.

My previous response was also more directed to the directly above one where they are used on a desk.

 

[Rockfella]

Some people actually like to use bookshelf speakers on a bookshelf (which is usually against a wall)

This is exactly one of the biggest reason I got these.

 

[Acerun]

The picture on the back (lower right) shows them able to be wall mounted but I don't see any mounting threads. How would one wall mount?

 

[mga2009]

The picture on the back (lower right) shows them able to be wall mounted but I don't see any mounting threads. How would one wall mount?

View attachment 160172

Robot or human?

Something like that

 

[Rockfella]

The picture on the back (lower right) shows them able to be wall mounted but I don't see any mounting threads. How would one wall mount?

View attachment 160172

Can be done with professional wall mounts nothing in built in them for it.

 

[Acerun]

Can be done with professional wall mounts nothing in built in them for it.

Thanks. Pic on the back leads one to believe there is a wall mounting mechanism...IMO

 

[Rick63]

So I've had my LP-6s for a week now and I like them a lot. However something happened this morning for the first time that has me a bit concerned.

I've been using them daily for 6-8 hours in the evening, and leaving them powered on overnight while sleeping. I then power them down during the day to save any electricity I can, however little it may be.. This morning when powering down one of them made a popping sound, and it was fairly loud at about 50 dB or so. Since this has not happened before it was somewhat alarming and concerning.

I have since done several power on/off cycles, leaving them on for about 15 minutes before powering back off. The first few times it didn't pop, but then it did 3 out of the next 4.

I sent Kali Audio an email asking whether I should be concerned and I'm anxiously awaiting their reply.

 

[bennybbbx]

there are now enhanced lp6 2nd wave here. 12 db less hiss they should have and it is written
Lighter transducer diaphragms should ensure faster, improved transient response, while a housing design promises more reliability. it also have reduced crossover frequency to 1.3 khz. maybe the developers of kali can hear ITD too and they enhance them good. i did not know. i have the old ones which are not good because haver very few stereo width on desktop placement when can hear ITD

 

[More Dynamics Please]

there are now enhanced lp6 2nd wave here. 12 db less hiss they should have and it is written
Lighter transducer diaphragms should ensure faster, improved transient response, while a housing design promises more reliability. it also have reduced crossover frequency to 1.3 khz. maybe the developers of kali can hear ITD too and they enhance them good. i did not know. i have the old ones which are not good because haver very few stereo width on desktop placement when can hear ITD

Where did you see that crossover frequency was reduced to 1.3 kHz? Kali specs show the crossover for the LP-6v2 unchanged from v1 at 1.5 kHz.

 

[bennybbbx]

Where did you see that crossover frequency was reduced to 1.3 kHz? Kali specs show the crossover for the LP-6v2 unchanged from v1 at 1.5 kHz.

then this is wrong on other pages as kali. they wrote for the lp8n1.5 khz lp6n 1.3 khz

Kali Audio introduces the 2nd Wave of LP-6 and LP-8 studio monitors

Kali Audio gives the LP-8 and LP-6 studio monitors the 2nd Wave makeover with new woofers, less self noise and more adjustment options.

www.gearnews.com

• Active 6.5” nearfield monitor
• Waveguide technology
• Bass reflex system
• Boundary EQ for adapting the speakers to different environments
• Class-D amp module
• Power: 100 W (60 W / 40 W bi-amped)
• 6.5” woofer with reduced mass
• 1” soft dome tweeter
• Frequency range: 39 Hz – 25 kHz
• Crossover frequency: 1.3 kHz
• Sound pressure level: 85 dB continuous SPL
• Inputs: XLR, 1/4” TRS, RCA
• Input sensitivity (XLR, 1/4”): +4 dBu
• Input sensitivity (RCA): -10 dBV
• Dimensions: 359 x 222 x 260 mm
• Weight: 7.01 kg

there are other pages that write 1.3. but i look on kali page there stand 1.5 khz as the old

 

[More Dynamics Please]

then this is wrong on other pages as kali. they wrote for the lp8n1.5 khz lp6n 1.3 khz

Kali Audio introduces the 2nd Wave of LP-6 and LP-8 studio monitors

Kali Audio gives the LP-8 and LP-6 studio monitors the 2nd Wave makeover with new woofers, less self noise and more adjustment options.

www.gearnews.com

there are other pages that write 1.3. but i look on kali page there stand 1.5 khz as the old

Right, I would trust the Kali Audio website specs over what's published on an audio news site. Gearnews.com got the LP-8v2 wrong too. Kali specs show the crossover is still 1.8 kHz (same as v1) and not 1.5 kHz.

 

[Ricardojoa]

I checked the specs, it says 1.5 khz for the lp6 and 1.8 khz for the lp8

 

[bennybbbx]

I measure group delay of my Kali in 8 cm distance. and i find a very bad high diffrence at 650 hz. this is bad for hear ITD. So my idea was use a EQ to change the phase in this range to avoid this large diffrence and hear what happen . The old LP6 sound now ok in width and stereo depth and all the strange sound is gone. thats no snake oil tune i can hear it very much. there are people that say EQ sound always bad. maybe they can hear better ITD as i. some people can hear 10 µsec diffrence in mid range between left and right speaker. I hear only more as 40 µsec diffrence. there are hear example for ITD too on this page http://acousticslab.org/psychoacoustics/PMFiles/Module07a.htm an a bass/mid speaker that is only able to play 5 khz -3 db (200 µsec) should be pysical logical that it can not produce good phase for ITD. so better speaker developers use bass/mid that can at least reach 15 khz and use no steep filters. step filters also cause lots of phase shift.

I think a better way to use the EQ is look at the group delay too and use the EQ in such a way that it make the FR better and also make group delay better. brain can frequency diffrence correct better i think. can hear when play music reduce high freq 10 db and hear it some minutes. then switch to normal and now the music sound as music have too much high freq. I notice that small band eeq changes sound worse. but when look on group delay it can sound good. I am only able to create a correct group delay of my speakers when not more than 12 cm away with measure microphone. tbe sure it is correct i use 8 cm.

here are my measure and settings. i have also a group delay post of JBL 104. this sound even more better in stereo width and depth of field. but this also have changes in Bass alot. tweeters have much less group delay changes. i think speaker developer should be look on the group delay and speaker testers should also show group delay of all speakers they tests

in my settings can see i use a 23 hz BW 6 HP. this soundbetter, can see in phase shift display of the DSP that it reduce Phase shift, because i need bass boost.

 

[thewas]

Why do yo use a positive narrow (Q=6) filter with 12 dB gain at 40Hz? This gives alot of ringing and increases distortions massively. Same about the positive Q=25 filter at 644 Hz, try to avoid narrow positive PEQs.

 

[bennybbbx]

Why do yo use a positive narrow (Q=6) filter with 12 dB gain at 40Hz? This gives alot of ringing and increases distortions massively. Same about the positive Q=25 filter at 644 Hz, try to avoid narrow positive PEQs.

I overlooked your post so the late answer. the 40 hz filter i need to have linear bass to 40 hz. the phase get a little correct with the HP filter and it sound better. of course it is better to use a speaker with 8 inch woofer, but then stereo width is much more reduce because of unprecise speaker. I have before kali a tannoy system 8 nfm 2. sound not good in stereo width. other 8 inch from friends sound too not better. I only notice that speakers can sound much better in stereo width when i buy for my surround reciever small rear speaker and test how they sound as main(i boost bass then or use tannoy as subwooofer). I was impressed how good they sound in stereo width. so i search whats the reason wy large speakers sound so worse in stereo. subwoofer i think sound not so good as 2 speaker with bassboost. maybe the phase shift of the crossover in this low frequency is bad.

Linear phase of this low frequency does not work for me because i make music and play realtime on keyboard. delay over 12 ms is bad for me when realtime play. linear phase of 50 hz have at least 20 ms delay

the 644 hz(the dsp can not set 650 hz) filter with Q 25 i add to fix the large group delay valley. see measure with and without eq. it fix the GD valley at 650 hz of -1.7 ms in and the kali sound with this fix with better stereo width and depth of field. that the 640 EQ fix the GD confirm that my GD measures are usable and ok. i never say that this measures are perfect.

 

[thewas]

the 40 hz filter i need to have linear bass to 40 hz

A 12 dB Q=6 positive notch filter is a bad choice as it will cause ringing, increase distortion and if you have such a narrow bass dip it shouldn't be filled also for other reasons.

the 644 hz(the dsp can not set 650 hz) filter with Q 25 i add to fix the large group delay valley.

Again it is not good to use such step positive filters, if you want to correct group delay please use FIR filters correcting just the phase but not the amplitude.